Markets: UK laying flock approaches 40 million layers

Another surge in pullet chick placings looks set to take the laying flock to a new high in the summer. Nearly 900,000 extra layer chicks were placed in January and February this year, compared with the same 2 months of 2017. An 18% rise in January was followed by an 11% increase in February. It means that the UK laying flock is likely to hit a new high of around 37.3 million birds in July, at a time when the market is often at a lower ebb at the start of the summer holiday period.